
Buick Enclave Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
10999311) - 2018 - crc - 11/20/17
174 Lighting
10 minutes, if the ignition is off. The
lamps will not come back on again
until one of the following occurs:
.The ignition is turned on.
. The doors are closed and then
re-opened.
Exterior Lighting Battery
Saver
The exterior lamps turn off about
10 minutes after the ignition is
turned off, if the parking lamps or
headlamps have been manually left
on. This protects against draining
the battery. To restart the 10-minute
timer, turn the exterior lamp control
to the off position and then back to
the parking lamp or headlamp
position.
To keep the lamps on for more than
10 minutes, the ignition must be on
or in ACC/ACCESSORY.

Buick Enclave Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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184 Driving and Operating
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 193
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 194
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 196
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 200
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Retained AccessoryPower (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 206 Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 210
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . 218
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 219
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Driver Mode Control . . . . . . . . . . 222
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Adaptive Cruise Control . . . . . . 226
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . 234
Assistance Systems for Parking or Backing . . . . . . . . . . 235
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Forward Automatic Braking (FAB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Front Pedestrian Braking (FPB) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . 245
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) . . . . . . 247
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
California Fuel Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 250
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252

Buick Enclave Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 185
Trailer Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Driving Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical
Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Driving Information
Distracted Driving
Distraction comes in many forms
and can take your focus from the
task of driving. Exercise good
judgment and do not let other
activities divert your attention away
from the road. Many local
governments have enacted laws
regarding driver distraction. Become
familiar with the local laws in
your area.
To avoid distracted driving, always
keep your eyes on the road, hands
on the wheel, and mind on the drive.
. Do not use a phone in
demanding driving situations.
Use a hands-free method to
place or receive necessary
phone calls.
. Watch the road. Do not read,
take notes, or look up
information on phones or other
electronic devices. .
Designate a front seat
passenger to handle potential
distractions.
. Become familiar with vehicle
features before driving, such as
programming favorite radio
stations and adjusting climate
control and seat settings.
Program all trip information into
any navigation device prior to
driving.
. Wait until the vehicle is parked
to retrieve items that have fallen
to the floor.
. Stop or park the vehicle to tend
to children.
. Keep pets in an appropriate
carrier or restraint.
. Avoid stressful conversations
while driving, whether with a
passenger or on a cell phone.

Buick Enclave Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
10999311) - 2018 - crc - 11/20/17
190 Driving and Operating
.Do not park over things that
burn. See Parking over Things
That Burn 0208.
Driving on Hills
Driving safely on hills requires good
judgment and an understanding of
what the vehicle can and cannot do.
{Warning
Many hills are simply too steep
for any vehicle. Driving up hills
can cause the vehicle to stall.
Driving down hills can cause loss
of control. Driving across hills can
cause a rollover. You could be
injured or killed. Do not drive on
steep hills.
Before driving on a hill, assess the
steepness, traction, and
obstructions. If the terrain ahead
cannot be seen, get out of the
vehicle and walk the hill before
driving further. When driving on hills:
.
Use a low gear and keep a firm
grip on the steering wheel.
. Maintain a slow speed.
. When possible, drive straight up
or down the hill.
. Slow down when approaching
the top of the hill.
. Use headlamps even during the
day to make the vehicle more
visible.
{Warning
Driving to the top of a hill at high
speed can cause an accident.
There could be a drop-off,
embankment, cliff, or even
another vehicle. You could be
seriously injured or killed. As you
near the top of a hill, slow down
and stay alert. .
Never go downhill forward or
backward with the transmission
in N (Neutral). The brakes could
overheat and you could lose
control.
. When driving down a hill, keep
the vehicle headed straight
down. Use a low gear because
the engine will work with the
brakes to slow the vehicle and
help keep the vehicle under
control.
{Warning
Heavy braking when going down
a hill can cause your brakes to
overheat and fade. This could
cause loss of control and you or
others could be injured or killed.
Apply the brakes lightly when
descending a hill and use a low
gear to keep vehicle speed under
control.

Buick Enclave Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 191
If the vehicle stalls on a hill:1. Apply the brakes to stop the vehicle, and then apply the
parking brake.
2. Shift into P (Park) and then restart the engine.
.If driving uphill when the
vehicle stalls, shift to
R (Reverse), release the
parking brake, and back
straight down.
. Never try to turn the vehicle
around. If the hill is steep
enough to stall the vehicle,
it is steep enough to cause
it to roll over.
. If you cannot make it up the
hill, back straight down
the hill.
. Never back down a hill in
N (Neutral) using only the
brake.
. The vehicle can roll
backward quickly and you
could lose control. .
If driving downhill when the
vehicle stalls, shift to a
lower gear, release the
parking brake, and drive
straight down the hill.
3. If the vehicle cannot be restarted after stalling, set the
parking brake, shift the
transmission into P (Park), and
turn the vehicle off.
3.1. Leave the vehicle and seek help.
3.2. Stay clear of the path the vehicle would take if it
rolled downhill.
. Avoid turns that take the vehicle
across the incline of the hill.
A hill that can be driven straight
up or down might be too steep to
drive across. Driving across an
incline puts more weight on the
downhill wheels which could
cause a downhill slide or a
rollover.
. Surface conditions can be
a problem. Loose gravel,
muddy spots, or even wet grass
can cause the tires to slip sideways, downhill. If the vehicle
slips sideways, it can hit
something that will trip it
–a
rock, a rut, etc. –and roll over.
. Hidden obstacles can make the
steepness of the incline more
severe. If a rock is driven across
with the uphill wheels, or if the
downhill wheels drop into a rut
or depression, the vehicle can tilt
even more.
. If an incline must be driven
across, and the vehicle starts to
slide, turn downhill. This should
help straighten out the vehicle
and prevent the side slipping.
{Warning
Getting out of the vehicle on the
downhill side when stopped
across an incline is dangerous.
If the vehicle rolls over, you could
be crushed or killed. Always get
out on the uphill side of the
vehicle and stay well clear of the
rollover path.

Buick Enclave Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
10999311) - 2018 - crc - 11/20/17
Driving and Operating 201
The Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter must be in the vehicle for
the system to operate. If the
pushbutton start is not working, the
vehicle may be near a strong radio
antenna signal causing interference
to the Keyless Access system. See
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation030.
To shift out of P (Park), the engine
must be running, and the brake
pedal must be applied.
Stopping the Engine/OFF (No
Indicator Lights) : When the
vehicle is stopped, press ENGINE
START/STOP once to turn the
engine off.
If the vehicle is in P (Park), the
ignition will turn off, and Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) will remain
active. See Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) 0205.
If the vehicle is in R (Reverse), D
(Drive) or L (Low), the vehicle will
shift to P (Park), the ignition will turn
off, and Retained Accessory Power
(RAP) will remain active. If the vehicle is in N (Neutral), the
ignition will return to ACC/
ACCESSORY and display the
message SHIFT TO PARK in the
Driver Information Center (DIC).
When the vehicle is shifted into
P (Park), the ignition will turn off.
Do not turn the engine off when the
vehicle is moving. This will cause a
loss of power assist in the brake
and steering systems and disable
the airbags.
If the vehicle must be shut off in an
emergency:
1. Brake using a firm and steady pressure. Do not pump the
brakes repeatedly. This may
deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force.
2. Shift the vehicle to N (Neutral). This can be done while the
vehicle is moving. After shifting
to N (Neutral), firmly apply the
brakes and steer the vehicle to
a safe location.
3. Come to a complete stop and shift to P (Park). 4. Set the parking brake. See
Electric Parking Brake 0218.
5. Press ENGINE START/STOP to turn the vehicle off.
{Warning
Turning off the vehicle while
moving may cause loss of power
assist in the brake and steering
systems and disable the airbags.
While driving, only shut the
vehicle off in an emergency.
If the vehicle cannot be pulled over,
and must be shut off while driving,
press and hold ENGINE START/
STOP for longer than two seconds,
or press twice in five seconds.
ACC/ACCESSORY (Amber
Indicator Light) : This mode allows
some electrical accessories to be
used when the engine is off.
With the ignition off, pressing the
button one time without the brake
pedal applied will place the ignition
system in ACC/ACCESSORY.

Buick Enclave Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
10999311) - 2018 - crc - 11/20/17
202 Driving and Operating
The ignition will switch from ACC/
ACCESSORY to OFF after
five minutes to prevent battery
rundown.
ON/RUN/START (Green Indicator
Light) :This mode is for driving and
starting. With the ignition off, and
the brake pedal applied, pressing
the button once will place the
ignition system in ON/RUN/START.
Once engine cranking begins,
release the button. Engine cranking
will continue until the engine starts.
See Starting the Engine 0202. The
ignition will then remain on.
Service Mode
This power mode is available for
service and diagnostics, and to
verify the proper operation of the
malfunction indicator lamp as may
be required for emission inspection
purposes. With the vehicle off, and
the brake pedal not applied,
pressing and holding the button for
more than five seconds will place
the vehicle in Service Mode. The
instruments and audio systems will
operate as they do in ON/RUN, but
the vehicle will not be able to be driven. The engine will not start in
Service Mode. Press the button
again to turn the vehicle off.
Starting the Engine
Press the P (Park) button on the
shift lever or shift the vehicle to
N (Neutral). The engine will not start
in any other position. To restart the
engine when the vehicle is already
moving, use N (Neutral) only.
Caution
Do not try to shift to P (Park) if the
vehicle is moving. If you do, you
could damage the transmission.
Shift to P (Park) only when the
vehicle is stopped.
Caution
If you add electrical parts or
accessories, you could change
the way the engine operates. Any
resulting damage would not be
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
covered by the vehicle warranty.
SeeAdd-On Electrical Equipment
0 261.
Starting Procedure
1. With the Keyless Access
system, the RKE transmitter
must be in the vehicle. Press
ENGINE START/STOP with the
brake pedal applied. When the
engine begins cranking, let go
of the button.
The idle speed will go down as
the engine gets warm. Do not
race the engine immediately
after starting it.
If the RKE transmitter is not in
the vehicle, if there is
interference, or if the RKE
battery is low, the Driver
Information Center (DIC) will
display a message.

Buick Enclave Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Driving and Operating 203
Caution
Cranking the engine for long
periods of time, by returning the
ignition to the START position
immediately after cranking has
ended, can overheat and damage
the cranking motor, and drain the
battery. Wait at least 15 seconds
between each try, to let the
cranking motor cool down.
2. If the engine does not start after five to 10 seconds,
especially in very cold weather
(below −18 °C or 0 °F), it could
be flooded with too much
gasoline. Try pushing the
accelerator pedal all the way to
the floor and holding it there as
you press ENGINE START/
STOP, for up to a maximum of
15 seconds. Wait at least
15 seconds between each try,
to allow the cranking motor to
cool down. When the engine
starts, let go of the button and
the accelerator. If the vehicle starts briefly but then stops
again, do the same thing. This
clears the extra gasoline from
the engine. Do not race the
engine immediately after
starting it. Operate the engine
and transmission gently until
the oil warms up and lubricates
all moving parts.
Stop/Start System
This vehicle has a stop/start system
to shut off the engine to help
conserve fuel. It has components
designed for the increased number
of starts.
{Warning
The automatic engine Stop/Start
feature causes the engine to shut
off while the vehicle is still on. Do
not exit the vehicle before shifting
to P (Park). The vehicle may
restart and move unexpectedly.
Always shift to P (Park), and then
turn the ignition off before exiting
the vehicle.
Auto Engine Stop/Start
When the brakes are applied and
the vehicle is at a complete stop,
the engine may turn off. When
stopped, the tachometer displays
AUTO STOP. See
Tachometer
0 135. When the brake pedal is
released or the accelerator pedal is
pressed, the engine will restart.
To maintain vehicle performance,
other conditions may cause the
engine to automatically restart
before the brake pedal is released.
Auto Stops may not occur and/or
auto restarts may occur because:
. The climate control settings
require the engine to be running
to cool or heat the vehicle
interior.
. The vehicle battery charge
is low.
. The vehicle battery has recently
been disconnected.
. Minimum vehicle speed has not
been reached since the last
Auto Stop.